A staff member works in a laboratory in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

An expert from Wuhan has called upon cured patients who were infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to donate plasma at hospitals as antibodies have been identified in the plasma of some patients.

Initial results have indicated the effectiveness of plasma transfusion in curing patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, said Zhang Dingyu, head of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, a major designated hospital to admit confirmed cases, during a provincial press conference Thursday.

Chinese health authorities said that a total of 5,911 patients infected with the novel coronavirus had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Wednesday, with Wednesday witnessing 1,171 people walk out of hospital after recovery.